Four people have been arrested and charged with felony murder and armed robbery in the shooting of a Phillipsburg gas station attendant a week ago, Warren County Prosecutor Thomas S. Ferguson announced this afternoon. Read the statement from Ferguson here.

Allentown police arrested three of the suspects Wednesday and a fourth today.

Police charged in the case:

Andrew R. Torres, 22, of the 100 block of North Penn Street, Allentown.

Zachary D. Flowers, 18, of the 700 block of North Meadow Street, Allentown.

Alexis L. Flowers, 21, also of the 700 block of North Meadow Street in the city.

David Beagell, 21, of the first block of Blossom Lane, Blakeslee, Pa.

They are accused of roles in the robbery just after midnight Jan. 5 that led to the shooting of Kismathdas Kasam, 47, of Phillipsburg, a clerk at the BP gas station at 742 S. Main St. in town.

Kasam died Saturday at St. Luke's Hospital in Fountain Hill of a shotgun wound to the right leg. Authorities ruled the death a homicide.

Click these links to see the criminal dockets for the three suspects arrested Wednesday:

Ferguson said the four defendants planned the robbery and specifically targeted the BP station, which has been the site of many robberies. But only Torres and Zachary Flowers were believed to be at the station that night, according to Ferguson.

"They planned it,” Ferguson said. “It was not a random act. They picked that gas station out, we’re sure of that.”

Ferguson said Torres and Flowers approached Kasam, demanding money at gunpoint. The gas station attendant didn't resist, according to Ferguson, but that didn't save him.

"The gas station attendant cooperated, but he was subsequently shot," Ferguson said.

The prosecutor said Torres was believed to be the gunman and so he's been charged with an additional count of first-degree murder. Ferguson said that although authorities don't believe the suspects planned on killing the attendant, Torres and Flowers were armed and Torres pulled the trigger.

"He's charged with murder because he intentionally and in a premeditated fashion, shot and killed the victim," Ferguson said.

Tip key to arrests

Investigators had been working around the clock on the case, according to the prosecutor, but it wasn't until they received a tip Tuesday that the case broke open.

"One of the defendants had talked to a friend about what had happened," Ferguson said. "That friend ... felt compelled to come to authorities. That started the train rolling, so to speak."

He wasn't clear if the tipster came forward because of the money and
said rewarding it would be up to Rajwant Gill, the gas station owner who is fronting
the cash. Gill did not return a message seeking comment.

Ferguson wouldn't say the investigation reached a standstill prior to that point, but admitted that authorities hadn't been looking for suspects in Lehigh County.

"They were working very, very hard. We had a lot of people out on the street and were talking to people on the street, but needless to say, we weren't talking to people from Allentown," Ferguson said. That tip "gave us so much traction."

Suspects await extradition

Each of the suspects has been charged with felony murder and armed robbery; conspiracy to commit armed robbery; possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose; and unlawful possession of a weapon.

Torres, Zachary Flowers and Alexis Flowers are in Lehigh County Prison. Beagell was not immediately listed as an inmate there. Hearings are expected as early as Friday in Lehigh County Court to determine whether the suspects plan to fight extradition to New Jersey to answer to the charges.

The charges of first-degree murder and felony murder each carry a sentence of 30 years to life in New Jersey State Prison upon conviction. New Jersey does not have a death penalty.

New Jersey Superior Court Judge John J. Coyle Jr. set bail at $1 million for each suspect, pending their return to the state.

The prosecutor's office says the FBI, Easton Police Department,
Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli's office and
the Warren County Regional Crime Scene Unit provided assistance during
the investigation.

Ferguson praised the investigating agencies that helped Phillipsburg police and the Warren County Prosecutor's Office with the arrests.

"The cooperation from all the different police departments and the FBI were essential in the location as well as the arrest of these people," Ferguson said. "Without some of them we wouldn't probably have been able to locate and arrest these defendants. We're very grateful for all the assistance from all these departments that we've received."

Mayor praises effort

Phillipsburg Mayor Harry Wyant Jr. said word of the arrests was heartening.

“The guys did a terrific job in investigating this,” Wyant said. “I’m thrilled because I really was concerned with the few clues we had going into this that we may not ever find out who did it. The police department and the prosecutor’s office did a great job.”

Wyant said he’s been in talks with town council and the town attorney to see if businesses open past a certain hour of night can be required to have operating cameras as both a deterrent for crime and a tool for investigators.

Wyant said he hopes the arrests send a message to would-be criminals.

“Unfortunately, these individuals crossed the bridge and came over here to do their dirty work,” the mayor said. “I hope this sends a message to anyone anticipating anything like this: We have a strong police presence and we will get you.”